1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to system security technology and, more particularly, to an apparatus and method for providing a security service, which can mask the intermediate results of an operation using an internally generated random number, thereby effectively providing the security that can prevent the illegitimate transfer of information to the outside.
2. Description of the Related Art
In systems using a microprocessor, a security service is recognized not as a choice but as a necessity. However, security services themselves have become the targets of logical and physical attacks. The results of recent research report that many technologies used to support security service have vulnerabilities and it is therefore difficult to guarantee sufficient reliability.
Security services are being provided in the many systems that use a microprocessor in a variety of ways. Security services are being applied in the form of a variety of applications such a vaccination program, an e-commerce application and an application that encrypts confidential information. Security services are being applied to a variety of platforms such as a computer, a mobile phone, and a variety of types of mobile terminals. There is a need for reliable, high-speed security service that can reduce the load to be imposed on systems in a variety of the above-described environments.
Korean Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2008-0054792 discloses an apparatus for multiplexing a hardware security module that is used in e-commerce or customer authentication, but the applications that this technology can be applied to are limited.
Accordingly, there is an urgent need for new technology that is capable of providing a variety of applications with a reliable high-performance security service.